Tracey A. Edwards

Edwards said that as a daughter of a former police officer, crime prevention and safe neighborhoods are a priority. There needs to be more youth-oriented programs, she said, and the opioid addiction crisis needs to be addressed. She said the affordability of housing for veterans, millennials, young families and seniors also is a priority. “I want to make our communities and downtowns safer by tackling the gang issue and the opioid-heroin epidemic; maintain our strong fiscal record while holding the line on taxes; expand programs for youth, women and seniors; work on addressing the deficit of affordable housing in our town; and legislate to preserve our environment with particular emphasis on water-quality initiatives,” Edwards said. “I’m the only candidate that has proposed a public safety plan to address the concerns of our residents while promoting cooperation with the Suffolk Police Department and other law enforcement agencies, as well as [improved] cooperation with our school districts to expand opportunities for youth and local businesses to ensure economic growth.”

Edwards, 56, of Dix Hills, is running on the Democratic, Green, Independence, Working Families and Women’s Equality party lines. Elected to the town board in 2013, she is seeking a first term as supervisor. Edwards is a retired Verizon executive. She is the Long Island region president for the NAACP, a former Elwood school board member and former chairwoman of the town’s planning board. A Huntington native, she graduated from John H. Glenn High School. She is married and has three children.